THE KANSAS STATE BOARD of Education voted to reject Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order pushing to delay any student instruction until after Labor Day.
In a 5-5 vote on Wednesday, the board’s decision means local school districts will make their own decisions on when to reopen their doors. Because there was no majority, the order did not pass.
“The cases of COVID-19 in Kansas are at an all-time high and continue to rise,” the statement read. “Our decisions must be informed by public health experts not politics.
“I will continue to work with our school districts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children and ask every school district to delay the start of school,” the statement continued.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 23,160 cases of COVID-19 in Kansas, with 317 deaths.
The executive order would have delayed schools from beginning instruction until Sept. 8.
